Thousand Miles from Home rewritten
by Ergelina
Summary: Being reborn as Maito Gai's older sister was something no one should ever look forward to, and I certainly didn't, however, here I am – attempting to survive my new personal hell as his beloved older sister. Oh God, why couldn't you just have sent me directly to hell?
1. Entrance

****Thousand Miles from Home****

****Description:****

Being reborn as Maito Gai's older sister was something no one should ever look forward to and I certainly didn't, however, here I am – attempting to survive my new personal hell as his beloved older sister. Oh God, why couldn't you just have sent me directly to hell? [Re-written]

**Chapter 1: **_Entrance_

**A/N: **And I'm so sorry but this entire story WILL BE REWRITTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I WANT IT TO GO. The previous version simply didn't fit well with me and I lost all interest in it, and now that Naruto manga is finished and it's so much easier to write a fanfiction with an OC in it...especially one with Gai's sister. Plot bunnies are running wild in my mind, oh and I've changed the character's name with a more meaningful name not to mention anything I'll add won't be owned by Kishimoto.

I'll fully understand if some of my readers will stop reading it, but I do ask to give it a chance and thank you for your patience so far. On the side note, I'm back from hiatus completely!

Enjoy the new version of _Thousand Miles from Home._

**.**

* * *

_You are never too old to set another goal  
or to dream a new dream. - C.S. Lewis_

* * *

**.**

Sometimes, I wonder.

About everything, literally. I'm just naturally curious or at least used to be before the _Now. _Before the _Current_. I cannot recall having done anything special in my last life, nothing at all. In fact, I lead the kind of life style that everyone else did. _Normal. Boring. Pathetically quiet. _

The only reason I'm aware of there having been another me was due to the suppressed memories of the _It-self _I refused to acknowledge. I'd like to say it's all nice and sunshine to have another self deeply rooted in your mind, however, the truth is far from it. It's mere presence could drive any normal person insane from _It's _constant pressure. From the mere reminder that you're not as normal as the rest of your friends are. Because the new me wasn't born into the clans full of geniuses I was constantly on the edge, constantly having to reprimand myself _don't do this, don't grow too fast, don't read things you're not supposed to, don't pretend you're an adult – _it was hard and difficult for me to remember how a _child _was supposed to behave.

How people were _supposed _to see me as and not how I felt myself to be.

I couldn't go around and change things without giving myself away. Without people starting to suspect me so I did the only thing anyone _sensible _would have done.

_I closed my access to the memories and pretended I knew nothing. _

I pretended to have a normal childhood, well as normal as one could have in Naruto universe, where children are brought up to be killing _expendable _tools. The word _mercy _didn't really exist in their dictionary, at least not in the mind of a fully trained ninja. Even the children showed signs of being cruel, despite of the fact that they rarely understood the reasons as of _why, how _and _when. _

It wasn't easy, far from it.

Whenever I met someone, whose story I was fully familiar with, I couldn't help but to squeal or make a complete fool of myself. _Maybe that's why Kakashi's first impression of me was a total waste of space, _or something along the lines. But more of that later. It was in those situations, when I realised that I couldn't do a single thing to change their stories for a better.

Or for worse, depending on the how the Domino effect would go.

And _that _was my reasoning for not interfering.

_Consequences. _

_The Domino effect. _

Sure, I could actually go ahead and attempt to prevent the Obito's demise, Rin's death, the Kyubi incident or even Uchiha massacre...however, if I did that it would mean throwing the entire world into a state of confusion and chaos. Nothing would go the way how I expected it to go. How I _knew it _to go and was fairly certain would end up as. No, I hadn't seen the ending before waking up in a new body.

With a new identity.

But knowing how Kishimoto's style with Naruto was...I was fairly sure that Naruto _would somehow have become a Hokage after obtaining the world wide peace as he promised Nagato aka Pain. _So, who was I to rob Naruto from his dream? Who was I to prevent it all from happening?

It's like they say...things happen for a reason, even if it's not all good.

So, for now let's just delve deeper into the story as of how _I _became someone, who mattered and how Naruto's storyline affected my presence in it. Let's start by introducing myself, shall we?

In this universe, I was given the name _Maito Etsuko. _Bearing the meaning of joyful child of the might, which definitely didn't fit me.

At all.

I wasn't joyful.

Not in the least.

And my peers would make it known just how misplaced my name was.

If there was one thing the new me had become fond of: _my family. _Especially my father and little brother, and whoever dared to badmouth them usually ended up having to deal with _me. _Which, according to Airi and Saburou wasn't pleasant thing to witness.

Now then, let's go back to the time when my story truly began.


	2. Baby Decisions

****Thousand Miles from Home****

****Description:****

Being reborn as Maito Gai's older sister was something no one should ever look forward to and I certainly didn't, however, here I am – attempting to survive my new personal hell as his beloved older sister. Oh God, why couldn't you just have sent me directly to hell? [Re-written]

**Chapter 2: **_Baby Decisions_

**.**

* * *

_All we have to decide is  
what to do with the time that is given us. - J. R. R. Tolkien._

* * *

**.**

I don't think I fully realised just who exactly did I reincarnate as until my little brother was born, and by then I was a little over two years old. It was only half a year ago, when I started to take my first baby steps and _boy _it was horrible to go through it _all again. _There was a part of me, which kept praying to whomever it was up _there _that normal babies don't remember _any of this. _Then, again, it could've been hilarious to exchange the stories, when we were infants.

My favourite part must have been freaking out my new dad and mama, doing so with a devilish glee, despite of _It-self _adult presence. There's really only one word to describe my baby years: _hilarious. _I had fun in tormenting, whoever happened to babysit me, when both of my parents were too busy with their job (Dad as a Shinobi and Mom had her own tea and dango shop to run) to have deal with me. I made sure to behave accordingly to baby moods and whoever I either disliked or liked (I pitied those, who fell into the first category).

To put it short: _I cried, wailed, pooped, ate, gagged and vomited. _And the circle would repeat in different style, varying on who held me. With my parents, I tried to give them as little of headache as I could. I truly fell in love with them and did my utmost best to control baby moods (or baby stomach).

"Etsu-chan!" Mom's voice came out from somewhere within the ceiling, making me to blink and attempt to crawl out of the pile of laundry I'd accidentally caused to fall on the ground with me trapped underneath it. I was on the brink of starting to understand what was going on and spoken, however, I couldn't talk in coherent ways yet.

"Mblra," was my attempt in calling out to Mom, doing my best in getting out of my trapped state, only to make it worse by getting my legs tangled up in sheets and someone's underwear. There was a brief sound of footsteps and from what I could sense from Mom's Chakra she was nearby.

Then, just as I gave up on getting out of the pile I created on my own, I was suddenly yanked up by a familiar pair of hands and _just _as I had allowed exhaustion to take over my body and mind. With a loud protest, attempted to get back into a comfy pile of laundry causing Mom to laugh at me.

"Etsu-chan, what have I told you about behaving like that?" Her voice was gentle and kind, despite of scolding words. Inwardly I felt like giving her a blank expression, thinking _what can you expect from a baby, _while outwardly I giggled like a baby would. Mom's sparkling grey eyes gazed at me in a loving way, making the _It-self _to squirm uncomfortably. A whisper of _family, _echoed to my mind and instinctively my hands reached out to touch Mom's smooth cheeks.

A strain lock of her long and wavy plum purple hair fell onto my my face, making me to grasp onto the lock and yank it in a way what must have been painful for her, despite of that Mom merely continued to giggle at my childish actions. Hey, don't look at me like that! I did say I was going to milk being a baby for all I could.

And when the time comes for me to take action, I would.

But not before.

"Ets-chan! Nanao!"

I admit it, despite of the obvious resemblance Dad bore to Gai, I didn't connect the tots until my little brother's name was announced – until I saw Mom holding him and he'd opened his eyes. At first I had thought the anime hadn't done the bushy eyebrows enough of justice, but it was the opposite – they were thicker than Kishimoto had drawn them to be. His bowl cut black hair with white line in the middle of Dad's hair was enough to make even a baby to giggle.

What can I say, I loved messing with his hair to the point of later playing pranks on him.

Although, Dad's green jumpsuit should have been a dead give away my mind was in a denial.

"I'm home!" His voice was loud, boisterous a huge contrast as opposed to what Mom's was, making me to realise that Gai was taking after Dad more than what was hinted in the show. "How are my two favourite girls doing?" Was his first question as he basically skipped over to us, bearing signs of having been in a battle and Mom had taken a notice of his attire as well.

"Change out of your clothes, immediately," she commanded, adjusting me so that I was safely in her one arm and the other pointed upstairs where

Dad's joyous expression fell comically fast, making me to baby giggle, causing him to swoon and exclaim how I was the cutest thing he's ever seen before running upstairs as Mom threatened to kick him out of the house. If there was anything I'd learned about Mom – she appeared to abhor absolute _hatred _towards Shinobi, making me to question why she had even gotten together with Dad then.

And why she had us.

Not to forget the a million yen question _why _(I never did find out).

The dinner passed without much of fuss, me behaving how adults were expecting an infant to act like and Dad kept giving Mom bashful praises for the delicious food, while fussing over me. It was my happy time, something that wouldn't be repeated even after Gai was born. Unlike the later years, this time there were no forced smiles or laughter. No awkward tension or hollow-like eyes.

**.**

* * *

**.**

I don't remember much of Mom's pregnancy with Gai, other than the fact that she appeared to get tired more often and couldn't play with me as much as she used to. Dad was out more often, sometimes he wouldn't return until couple of months had passed. I'd spoken my first words during Dad's absence, _'dada?' _and later _'mama, kirei,' _making Dad incredibly crestfallen at the aspect of having missed my firsts.

Yes, firsts as in plural.

During his absence I had learned how to walk slash crawl, and taken a notice of Mom's big stomach before patting it in a comforting way (don't ask me why, but I had thought she was in pain or something along the lines). It was then that Mom had whispered to me I would be a big sister soon, making me to blink at her in surprise.

I wasn't capable to form sentences yet, although I was working my way towards it.

"Big sister?"

Mom had nodded, resting on a sofa and allowing me to sit next to her. Her plum purple hair was tied up into a lazy bun, she was clad in a homely one piece brown and blue dress (colours clashed with her hair, but she didn't seem to care) and one hand rested on her belly. She had been combing my mahogany black hair, making me to wince as my hair tended to have a life of its own.

No matter how many times we tried – it kept twisting and turning into a bird nestle.

"That's right, Etsu-chan," Mom looked tired but that was to be expected. She was seven months pregnant and had to take care of me plus the household chores. No wonder that there were times, when she would ask for assistance from Shinobi, despite of her dislike towards them (whenever they were here she would be upstairs in her room, resting or in a hospital for check up and wouldn't come back until their time was up).

I nearly pounced from excitement, "Really?! A boy? Girl?"

She chuckled, caressing my hair and cheek in a loving way, "Which one would you want?"

I knew that it would be a boy, but for Mom's sake I pretended to be deep in a thought. The memories of another life flooded into me and I had to do my best to keep myself from crying out in shock, it was simply too much for my inexperienced body. A nagging fear _I won't last like this to see Naruto's teenage years _would make itself known from time to time, making me to cry at unexpected moments. Even thought there was nothing wrong with me, logically speaking.

"A boy!" I finally declared, bumping my tiny fist up towards the darkening ceiling. The sun was making a bed for itself, painting the sky with varying colours of pink, red, yellow and orange. Some blue and purple had even gotten lost there. "I want a kid brother!"

"Then that's what you'll get, Etsu-chan," Mom agreed with a smile, watching me to jump and squeal in happiness. Joy never leaving her face, a genuine moment I would miss my older years.

**.**

* * *

**.**

The relationship between me and Mom was special.

It doesn't mean that I had no sort of a bond with Dad, no I did. But his was scarce. Barely existing, due to the on-going Third Shinobi War. I had learned that piece of information during one of the rare times when Dad was home and he had taken me to the shopping mall, wanting to give Mom a well deserved break.

He had hoisted me up to his shoulders, giving me a better view of currently dark, weary and gloomy looking Konoha. Unlike the show, the inhabitants of Konoha weren't running around the streets looking all carefree or even conversed with the kind of happiness they did back in the show.

No.

It wasn't just those few Shinobi, who were weary and had expressions of lacking sleep (which some of them did, but most simply looked _tired _and in need of a long holiday), but civilians as well. There were those, who attempted to continue living how they wanted by ignoring the war as much as they could.

"Etsu-chan, do you remember what we need to buy?" The funny thing with Dad was that he was expecting me, _a barely little over two years old baby girl, _to remember his shopping list for him.

Truthfully, I did.

But was I going to help him?

No.

Why?

I might or might not have been a little resentful at the lack of his presence in my young life. For having missed out my firsts.

"Nope," I sang, it was now almost two months after Mom's announcement of me becoming an older sister, and Mom was due to have their second child (she couldn't attend to her shop any more, so had hired a capable assistant to take care of necessities while she was on her maternity leave). Anyone, who had eyes could tell the atmosphere around me and in the house was nearly exploding with excitement.

And occasional worry for the baby's (and Mom's) safety.

Dad's face fell, gripping onto my legs playfully, making me to almost lose my balance on his shoulders and thus he earned a glare from me.

"Dad!"

"Then we simply gotta buy what we can!" He stated, giving me thumps up, although I was in no position to see it clearly and he ended up confusing a poor civilian (the man had stared at us before recognising Dad and had snorted as a result).

"But won't Mom be mad?" Mind you, it was all said with childish accent and broken Japanese language. Hey, I understood the language but speaking...it was on another whole level.

As always, Dad ended up laughing at my question.

"We'll just show her your puppy eyes and I'll shower her with praises, I promise!"

I sighed, leaning my upper body against his head, purposely messing it up and deciding to simply watch as the Eternal Genin attempted to remember the shopping list Mom had told him to get (she had even demanded that he make a list, but the stubborn man refused and promised he won't forget...so much for that) with a hint of amusement in my eyes. From my position, I could see the way how Dad was looked at by some of his supposedly colleagues, whispering and glaring (sometimes bluntly ignoring us) at Dad before walking away.

Any snide comments that was sent towards Dad's way was brushed off with a bow (causing me to yelp and hit him on the head as a revenge) and thank them. What for? I had absolutely no idea, but I knew that I wasn't about to let my future little brother to witness any of this. As soon as I was capable I would beat up anyone, who dared to make fun of _my family. _

Of my Dad.

Of my Mom.

Of my little brother.

Me? I didn't care much about myself. As long as my loved ones were safe.

"Dad?" I asked, feeling a little sleepy, as my eyes started to feel heavy and noticing how the shopping was almost done. "Why aren't you sad...?"

I felt him looking up at me, his Chakra felt surprised and in a wonder.

"Because I don't mind the words," Dad explained, paying for the last item (which was a grilled fish and it made me drool) before turning back towards home, readjusting me so that I could rest better.

My body was a little sore after having stayed up in a position like that (sitting like a doll on, safely sat on top of his shoulders) for so long.

"As long as they don't harm anyone I don't care, Etsu-chan."

I swear I attempted to understand it, but being young I couldn't. It was only as an adult that I looked back and realised his point, and that came only after witnessing Lee's growing strength and his ordeals to live as a Ninja without Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.

To be honest, Dad might have added something else but I can't really recall as I fell asleep in his arms, exhaustion winning the fight.

The next day, Maito Gai was born and I vowed to protect him from any harm I could.


	3. Let it Begin

****Thousand Miles from Home****

****Description:****

Being reborn as Maito Gai's older sister was something no one should ever look forward to and I certainly didn't, however, here I am – attempting to survive my new personal hell as his beloved older sister. Oh God, why couldn't you just have sent me directly to hell? [Re-written]

**Chapter 3: **_Let it Begin_

**.**

* * *

_'Eat healthily, sleep well,  
breathe deeply, move harmoniously.' _\- Jean-Pierre Barral

* * *

.

With Gai's birth, Mom was too busy to pay enough of attention to me, hence why I took it as a perfect opportunity to ask Dad (who was, for once, on a requested leave from the front lines or so he said) to train me.

I had figured that if I wanted to survive in the coming years, I could get an early start. It didn't hurt that Dad was Taijutsu specialist due to his lack of Chakra manipulation or control (whichever term was correct, _I was three so pardon my language_). He had taken me to a doctor, using visiting Mom as an excuse to pull me there, and we discovered that I had a fairly stable Chakra. That unlike him I _could _and _had _a chance in being a normal Shinobi.

"Etsuko-chan's Chakra is surprisingly well balanced," the Iryo-nin in charge told proud looking Dad, I had to twist my head to see his grinning face. _Oh boy, Mom's not going to like it. _"In fact it's highly recommended that she becomes a Shinobi."

"Oh? Any specific reasons?"

"I've only seen this kind of control over Chakra in Uzumaki clan members, sometimes in both Hyuga and Uchiha but very rare," Iryo-nin admitted, writing something onto his clipboard before winking at me in a strange way. My reaction? I gave him a blank expression. "I'm sure that with the right kind of training and time she could become either an excellent Sensor or Tracker."

In his enthusiasm Dad plopped me on my back, using more force than it was necessary causing me to yelp and get out of his lap. Throwing an angry glare at him, while rubbing my back, I moved as far away from dejected and apologetic looking man as I could. Iryo-nin barked a laughter at us, something in me suspected that he saw Dad more than I did with his constant visits to the hospital.

And his inability to heal himself.

I held no like or dislike towards the hospitals, having long grown used to it in my previous life due to _the It-self's mother _having worked as some sort of a doctor or analyst.

"I'm glad to hear it!" Dad spoke, easily snatching me into his arms and spun me around. _My vision was becoming strange. _"That means I can start training her straight away."

My cries for help were muffled by his arms and clean Shinobi attire. He was wearing traditional sign for someone, who was part of still growing war. I sighed, _Mom won't be happy to hear it, _I thought as Iryo-nin gently advised Dad to put me down before I suffocated right in a hospital.

I did my best to ignore the rest of chat between Dad and nameless Iryo-nin, focusing my thoughts on the things I knew were coming. It was like the beginning of the beginning and I wasn't sure if I loved or hated it.

But the nagging feeling in me commanded me to be on guard.

**.**

* * *

**.**

It's been a week since I first went to Dad to ask for Taijutsu training.

A week since Gai was born and we used her busy times as a perfect moment to train me, although we did discuss on how to tell Mom that I wanted to join the Shinobi forces – that _a three years old baby girl was willing to become an expendable killing tool. _After endless of arguments we both decided not to as it would be safe for our own health.

Dad was ecstatic that I had chosen _him _to teach me, not that strong Sakumo (I remember staring at him blankly, feeling pity for _the Hatake Sakumo_) before going into a series of complex styles I couldn't follow at all. Stomping on his feet I had promptly demanded to start out with _basics _and something my tiny body could _handle (and endure). _

In the end we settled down for him showing how to do a couple of moves, with me attempting to copy him with a couple of difficulties. I found the entire process fun and I could see that Dad was enjoying himself, if anything then it helped us to bond in a way I never could do with Mom. We both knew that we couldn't do anything reckless or Mom would notice it straight away.

So far, whenever Mom had noticed some cuts or bruises on my body I had lied and said I fell or it was an accident (I made sure to be as convincing as I could), wanting to buy us time to come up with a believable excuse and get her to agree in my goal to become a Kunoichi.

Dad took in my stance with a critical eye, pulling my arm forward a little bit and shoving legs more apart before nodding in approval.

"Try to move in sequence I showed you, Ets-chan," Dad commanded, going along with the moves as I attempted remember the way how he had moved earlier. I stumbled a lot, messed up a lot and nearly failed before I glanced at Dad to remember each Taijutsu movement correctly.

One movement after another.

Followed by a twist.

Punch.

Jump.

Twist.

And repeat, he wouldn't let me to actually punch anything yet, wanting me to get used to the movements before the actual practice. The _It-self _was smirking at me, something I couldn't see but _felt _as she watched me exercising with a hint of glee. I got the feeling that _It-self _hadn't been athletic at all. On the other hand, I found myself to be smiling.

What had started out as a pure curiosity became something I looked forward to do and would practice even outside the training, whenever I could. There were times, when Mom came close to discovering our secret bonding time but I had quickly pretending to be dancing. In a way, Taijutsu resembled some sort of a complex series of dance, the only difference being Taijutsu _hurt others. _

Be it the _It-self's _older mind or not, I was well on the way of finding the direction and style I wanted to be slash use in the future. Being fully trained Kunoichi was on my top list, no matter what Mom would say or how she would react upon finding out.

**.**

* * *

**.**

As I predicted, Mom wasn't happy in the slightest when she walked in on Dad showing me Taijutsu moves, holding barely two weeks old Gai. She was angry and Dad looked sheepish at being caught red-handed.

No.

Angry wasn't the right wording.

She was _fuming from pure fury. _

"What's the meaning of this?" Her voice actually sent up cold shivers upon my spine, even baby Gai squirmed in her hold as if he wanted to be rescued.

I was presently in the middle of an Academy Taijutsu basic style, hand up and leg frozen in the mid-air. My dark ashen black eyes were widened with fear, delicately putting my leg back on the ground and attempting to make myself as small and invisible as it was possible. You didn't have to be a Sensor or even a Shinobi to sense Mom's cold fury.

"Explain."

"Um, Nanao, you see..." Dad tried to explain, avoiding in looking at his wife's cold and at anything else in particular. The entire situation was my fault to begin with, seeing as it was _me _who went to Dad, knowing full well just how against Mom was for me to be a Shinobi, and asked him to train me. "Etsu-chan here..." he attempted, looking at me with a pitiful eyes for help.

His words cut the tension with like knife.

I dared not to say a word, seeing Mom's furious expression darting at me. And there it was an utter look of disappointment.

"Is that true, Etsuko?" I flinched, feeling like running away and leaving Dad to Mom's mercy. Mom only ever called me by my full name, when she was angry or disappointed with me. Gai had stilled at the sudden quietness.

However, something in me refused to budge.

It was _that _determination I found to be a little annoying in Naruto.

"Yes, Mama," her grey eyes widened at the _my _use of her nickname for me being serious. The only times I called Dad and Mom as _Papa _or _Mama _when I wanted something. When I was serious enough to stop being childish.

"Why?" At this point Mom was bluntly ignoring Dad, who was attempting to gain her attention as to take the blame for himself. "Are you planning on becoming a Shinobi?"

Both Dad and I flinched at the way how she spat the last word.

It was like she was seeing her worst nightmare coming true, her hold on little Gai tightened as she waited for me to answer. I cracked my brain on how to tell her as gently as it was possible, but found none.

I ended up nodding, not daring to look at her in the eyes.

"I...I want to bring an end to the war," Mom's eyes widened a little, noticing how I had started to speak correctly and taking in my growth. I was fidgeting with my fingers, feeling nervous. "I feel that if there is even a _little _something I can do then I want to give my best! I want to help Papa in bringing an end to the war and bring him home faster!"

My parents were staring at me in a shock, both of them had been unaware of my thoughts or reasons for wanting something that I was fully aware Mom hated. I was willing to ruin my relationship with Mom to reach my own goal, call it being selfish if you must but that's what I've decided on.

"Do you even know what you'll do as Shinobi?" Her voice was emotionless, and I focused my eyes on Gai's little form. Dad had finally managed to take my little brother from Mom, afraid that she could do something reckless in her fury.

I gave her a solemn nod.

"And knowing all that – are you still willing to become _one of them?_"

Again, I nodded.

There was a brief silence in which she took in my determined form, clenched fists and hardened look in my dark ashen black eyes. I was fearful of her reaction. She could easily demand for me to quit and I would do it with a heavy heart. However, I would spend rest of my life blaming her and feeling regret that I hadn't fought more for my desire.

And then, Mom waved her hand in a dismissal, "Fine then," Dad's eyes widened at her lack of emotion as she spoke. "Do whatever you want, see if I care when you get hurt." With that said, Mom took Gai from Dad's arms and walked away without another word.

Leaving me standing in the middle of our backyard, bottom lip trembling and Dad running after her in attempts to see my point of view.

I was left in the backyard, crying and wishing that Mom wouldn't hate Shinobi so much.


End file.
